wilbur



(ModeL) D. D. WILBUR & M.'0. HUNGERFORD.

v FOLDING CRIB. No. 250,119. Patented Nov. 29,1881.

A O 1: 2 3 I uunm w 1,, 1v 1 "/l/ d UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DWIGHT D. WILBUR AND MORRIS O. HUNGERFORD, OF HUNTINGTON, W. VA.

FOLDING CRIB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,119, dated November 29, 1881,

' Application filed September 3, 1881. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that we, DWIGHT D. WILBUR and MORRIS O. Hmvennronncitizens of the United.

States of America, residing at Huntington, in the county of Oabell and State of WestVirginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Cribs; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to that class of cribs which are adapted to be folded for transportation, and for the purpose of saving space occupied by them when in use; and the object of our invention is to so construct cribs and cradles that their serviceability as such shall not be lessened by the means used or change of construction necessitated by their adaptation to being folded, and to accomplish such adaptation by means which permit the folded crib to be condensed into as small a space as possible, and having no waste or unoccupied portions of said space; and our invention consists in certain construction, devices, and combination of devices hereinafter described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a crib embodying our invention; Fig. 2, an end view of the same, and Fig. 3 a perspective view of the crib folded for transportation.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in all the figures.

A represents the bottom, B B the sides, and G (3 the ends or head and foot boards of the crib proper; D, the legs; E, the supportingsectors, to which the crib is pivotally attached at E; and F, the friction or bracing pulley.

The bottom consists oflongitudinal slats a, (see Fig. 3,) fastened in frames A A, which frames are hinged to each other centrally and transversely at A, and are at their endshinged to the head and foot boards.

The side boards, B B, are each hinged at one end to the head and foot boards respectively-that is, the guard or side board, B, is hinged to the head-board O, and side frame or board, B, is hinged to the foot-board 0. Each The frames A A are made deep enough to hold an ordinary mattress and permit the entrance ot' the side frames also when the crib.

is folded, and the location of the hinges of said side frames at opposite ends of the crib brings each folded side frame into separate frames of the bottom, and results in an arrangement of said frames that, when folded, their ends are within said bottom frames, and when distended said ends are brought flush at the outside with the cornerposts of the crib; and by being hinged at their tops, when folded, each half of each rail or guard B B is located above its mate, instead of atits side, as when hinged on the vertical division-line of said sides, as is usual in this classof cribs. It will be readily seen that by dividing the side frames at their centers vertically, and hinging them so as to fold vertically, they in their folded position occupy a space which is practically within the height of the square or space occupied by the headboard, to which it is attached, and they, thus folded, diminish the thickness of the folded package or crib by twice their thickness less than they would do were they swung inwardly on hinges placed on their vertical division, as is customary, and; furthermore, they occupy space hitherto unoccupied, and the package at its exposed sides is of even and unbroken surfaces. The frame A is provided with dowels ct, to more securely hold the side frames in their unfolded positions, and the staples b serve, in connection with hooks b, to secure the package in folded condition, while staples b co-operate with the same hooks to retain the parts in an unfolded condition.

The legs comprise the following elements, which cooperate to support the crib when unfolded, and are so constructed as to be capable of being folded into substantially the limits occupied by the crib when folded.

The legs proper, D, are each pivotally attached at d to one arm of the sector E, which is pivotal] y attached to the head-board O at E.

The are of the sector is retainedin proper position by the grooved pulley F, which revolves on a pin or bolt, f, in the head-board. Each leg is provided with a retaining-pin, 01, constantly depressed by the spring-actuated lever d, pivotally attached to the leg, the said pin 01 passing through the leg D and into the sector for the purpose of retaining the leg in its unfolded position. If desired, a simple setscrew may be used for this purpose, as shown at D.

At Gwe have shown a device whose purpose is to lock the crib, so that it shall remain in a steady position when it is not desired to use it as aswinging cradle. This device may consist of a a flat iron plate of the shape shown, and provided with the straight slotf and the diagonal slot f, secured to a post of the head or foot board by screws, as shown, and having a projection to enter the slot f in the lower edge of the sector, thereby lockin g the same so as to prevent the swinging of the crib as a cradle, as would a wire secured by staples at f f, and bent diagonally at f, and having a projection to enter slot f in the sector.

The crib (used as a cradle) when distended is supported upon the pivots E, and as it swings from side to side the pulley F rides on the arc of the sector and prevents an endwise swinging or settling of the crib when one end is elevated above the other on an uneven floor; and it (the pulley) also serves as a stop by striking against the arms of the sector, thus limiting the extent of the sidewise swing and preventing the falling out of the occupant, which prevention is also aided by placing the pivot E well up toward the top of the headboard.

Tofold the crib theside framesare unhooked at their free ends and folded vertically, and swung inwardly against the head and foot boards respectively. These are then brought together, the bottom and mattress (if present and divided at its center to correspond with the crib) folding upwardly against the side frames, and the retaining-pins are withdrawn from the arms of the sector, and the legs swung one upwardly, the other downwardly and then upwardly, and both placed above the pulley F, and fastened by means of the hook G and staple G.

It will be readily seen that the space occupied by the folded package is the smallest possible in a crib of proper proportions, and that each portion of said space is fully occupied by parts of the crib, and that the whole presents a compact and secure appearance, rendering the crib one easily and well adapted both for use and transportation.

If desired, the sector and legs may be made of iron, but we do not limit ourselves in the selection of the material of which any part of the crib maybe made; and, further, it maybe desirable to increase the length of the arc of the sector, thus bringing the legs completely within the square of the packageor folded crib.

Having described our invention and its operation, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In afolding crib,thesideframes or guards, hinged to opposite ends of the crib, divided vertically and hinged at their tops, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the side frames, hinged at opposite ends of the crib, divided vertically and hinged at their tops, with the bottom hinged centrally an dtransversely, and the head and foot boards substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of the legs pivotally attached to the sector, the sector pivotally attached to the crib, and means for retainingthe legs in a distended position, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination of the legs pivotally attached to the sector, the sector pivotally attached to the crib, and the pulley grooved to fit and ride upon the sector and revolving on a pin or bolt in the crib, as shown and described.

5. The combination of the sector having a notch in its periphery, and a retaining device attached to and operating upon'the crib throu gh straight and diagonal bearings, as shown and described.

6. The combination of the legs, sector, and pulley with the crib, as shown and described.

In testimony whereof we have aflixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

DWIGHT D. WILBUR. MORRIS O. HUNGERFORD.

Witnesses:

H. (1. Saints, I. B. SHOEMAKER. 

